Roll-N-Roll-N-Grow: the Grow: the miracle miracle garden?garden?Hillary RiveraHillary Rivera

The GimmickThe Gimmick

https://www.rollngrow.com/ https://www.rollngrow.com/

Seem like overselling?Seem like overselling?

Dirt in the faceDirt in the face

Planting seeds one-by-Planting seeds one-by-one?!one?!

Preparing the soil?Preparing the soil?

OH NO?!OH NO?!

ClaimsClaims “…“…all the necessary nutrients are all the necessary nutrients are

built into the Roll n Grow garden built into the Roll n Grow garden roll.” roll.”

““suppresses weeds”suppresses weeds”

““retains water”retains water”

ClaimsClaims

ProducesProduces Baby's BreathBaby's Breath Scarlet FlaxScarlet Flax Crimson CloverCrimson Clover CalendulaCalendula CornflowerCornflower LarkspurLarkspur PoppiesPoppies

Mixed ReviewsMixed Reviews

““If you do buy the Roll N Grow, be If you do buy the Roll N Grow, be prepared to work a little harder and prepared to work a little harder and to pay a higher water bill.” to pay a higher water bill.”

““Roll n Grow is just one big Roll n Grow is just one big frustration. You spend all your time frustration. You spend all your time watering and using up all your watering and using up all your valuable growing space.”valuable growing space.”

Mixed ReviewsMixed Reviews

““At first I thought I had wasted money , At first I thought I had wasted money , but in about 5 weeks I could not believe but in about 5 weeks I could not believe it. I was actually impressed with this it. I was actually impressed with this product and would recommend it.”product and would recommend it.”

““My family rents the same little house My family rents the same little house each summer, and I get Roll N Grow to each summer, and I get Roll N Grow to pretty the yard up. People stop their cars pretty the yard up. People stop their cars to tell me how adorable it looks.” to tell me how adorable it looks.”

InstructionsInstructions

Rake and loosen topsoil in a sunny Rake and loosen topsoil in a sunny location. Roll out garden over the location. Roll out garden over the raked area.raked area.

Fully soak mat thoroughly after Fully soak mat thoroughly after rolling out on soil. **It is impossible rolling out on soil. **It is impossible to over water this garden**to over water this garden**

Repeat watering daily. Germination Repeat watering daily. Germination should occur in 15-30 days.should occur in 15-30 days.

The ExperimentThe Experiment

Three treatmentsThree treatments Control dishControl dish Below soil dishBelow soil dish Fertilizer dishFertilizer dish

Watered twice dailyWatered twice daily 710ml of water or fertilizer710ml of water or fertilizer

Soil temperature maintained at or Soil temperature maintained at or above 18above 18°C°C

The ResultsThe Results

Week 1: no noticeable growthWeek 1: no noticeable growth

Week 2: very small sprouts on all Week 2: very small sprouts on all three dishesthree dishes

Week 3: no noticeable change from Week 3: no noticeable change from week 2week 2

ResultsResults

Week 4: sprouts in the dishes are Week 4: sprouts in the dishes are becoming larger and more becoming larger and more noticeablenoticeable Fertilizer dish shows what looks like Fertilizer dish shows what looks like

moldmold Week 5: more sprouts appear in the Week 5: more sprouts appear in the

soil and control dishsoil and control dish Fertilizer dish is discoloredFertilizer dish is discolored

The ResultsThe Results

Week 6: no noticeable change since Week 6: no noticeable change since week 5week 5

Week 7: no noticeable change since Week 7: no noticeable change since week 6week 6 Most of the sprouts in the fertilizer dish Most of the sprouts in the fertilizer dish

are deadare dead

ResultsResultsBelow soil dish showed a total of 36 sprouts after 7 weeks.

ResultsResultsFertilizer dish showed a total of 3 sprouts after of seven weeks.

ResultsResultsControl dish showed a total of 23 sprouts after seven weeks.

ConclusionsConclusions

Not very water retentiveNot very water retentive

Considerably longer germination timeConsiderably longer germination time

Even under decent conditions no flowers Even under decent conditions no flowers could be seencould be seen

Evidence?Evidence?

Product review by Lauren Stanton of Product review by Lauren Stanton of ABC newsABC news ““sprouted what looked like weeds”sprouted what looked like weeds” ““even under ideal conditions”even under ideal conditions” ““not many of the varieties promised”not many of the varieties promised” ““weeds came up as well”weeds came up as well” ““blooms were sparse and took 3-4 months to blooms were sparse and took 3-4 months to

appear”appear”

Is it set up for success?Is it set up for success?

Remember what it Remember what it promised?promised?

Baby’s breathBaby’s breath Good in bordersGood in borders 8-12 weeks 8-12 weeks

germination timegermination time Best when Best when

planter in groupsplanter in groups

Is it set up for success?Is it set up for success?

Scarlet FlaxScarlet Flax Adaptable in a variety Adaptable in a variety

of soils, but prefers of soils, but prefers loose sandy soilsloose sandy soils

Crimson CloverCrimson Clover Do not plant with Do not plant with

other wildflowersother wildflowers Very competitiveVery competitive

Is it set up for success?Is it set up for success?

CalendulaCalendula Requires darkness to Requires darkness to

germinate, prefers germinate, prefers well-drained soilwell-drained soil

CornflowerCornflower Easy to grow, prefers Easy to grow, prefers

average soil moistureaverage soil moisture

Is it a scam?Is it a scam?

YesYes Product designProduct design InstructionsInstructions ClaimsClaims

SourcesSources

http://honestinfomercialreviews.com/home/plant-and-garden/roll_n_grow/http://honestinfomercialreviews.com/home/plant-and-garden/roll_n_grow/ http://http://www.wildflowerinformation.org/Wildflower.asp?IDwww.wildflowerinformation.org/Wildflower.asp?ID=21=21 http://www.ready2grow.co.uk/seeds/p_Scarlet_flax.htmlhttp://www.ready2grow.co.uk/seeds/p_Scarlet_flax.html http://http://www.wildflowerinformation.org/Wildflower.asp?IDwww.wildflowerinformation.org/Wildflower.asp?ID=79=79 http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/wildseed/crimsonclover.html http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/wildseed/crimsonclover.html http://creditcrunchbride.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/baby_breath.jpg http://creditcrunchbride.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/baby_breath.jpg http://hortweb.tamu.edu/wildseed/36/36.1.html http://hortweb.tamu.edu/wildseed/36/36.1.html http://www.gardenguides.com/68-babys-breath-garden-basics-flower-http://www.gardenguides.com/68-babys-breath-garden-basics-flower-

annual-emgypsophila-muralisem.html annual-emgypsophila-muralisem.html www.associatedcontent.com/.../www.associatedcontent.com/.../

the_the_rollroll__nn__growgrow_garden_mat_not_worth.html  _garden_mat_not_worth.html  www.www.rollngrowrollngrow.com/ .com/ www.jennywww.jennyreviewsreviews.com/home-.com/home-andand-garden/-garden/rollroll--nn--growgrow www.tvtopten.com/www.tvtopten.com/RollNGrowRollNGrow.html .html www.rateitall.com/i-925487-www.rateitall.com/i-925487-rollroll--nn--growgrow.aspx .aspx